


Don’t Leave Me

by JustAnotherAnimeGirl



Category: My Hero Academia, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Bakugo is a good boy, Endeavor is trash but still, Inko is best mom, Poor Todoroki, midoriya is worried
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:28:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24933043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAnotherAnimeGirl/pseuds/JustAnotherAnimeGirl
Summary: When Todoroki suddenly disappears, it’s up to Midoriya and Bakugo to find him and bring him back.
Relationships: A bit of Uraraka x Deku, Bakugo & Deku, Endeavor & Todoroki (Father/Son), Maybe some Todoroki x Deku if you want, Natsuo & Fuyumi (Siblings)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve searched and searched for a fanfic like this one, but I couldn’t seem to find one. So I just had to create this story that I had in my mind. 
> 
> Also, I’m not sure what affect this might have, but I don’t really ship Bakudeku (maybe just a little bit). I see them more as brothers. But as usual, you can think however you want about this fanfic, in whatever way you see fit. This chapter is pretty short, only because I wanted to leave it off on a cliffhanger. The other chapters will be longer, I promise. ;)
> 
> Anyways, that’s all I have to say. Enjoy!

“I’m really happy that summer break is finally here. So much has happened to us in such a short amount of time. I’m sure everyone here is ready for a break.” Deku sighed and picked up his remaining items from his dorm, placing them neatly in a luggage bag. Uraraka was there, helping him clean up as well. They were all going back to their own houses for the summer, of course, but moving everything out was much more of a hassle than they’d expected. “Yeah. Even the teachers will be able to relax now, too,” Uraraka said, carefully peeling off the last of Deku’s All Might posters. She couldn’t help but smile as she folded it and placed it in one of his smaller luggage bags. He’s such a fanboy! Uraraka thought. Deku must’ve have noticed this, because he was suddenly turning red all over. “By the way, thanks for all the help,” His voice was a little higher than usual as he said this. Uraraka suddenly blushed and turned away. She’d never told Deku how she felt about him, and wasn’t sure if she would ever be able to. For now, Uraraka would just tag along and accompany him as a friend. “It’s no big deal. I was finished with my dorm pretty quickly anyways.” Deku smiled at this, then turned away to finish packing. Then a knock at the door: “Oh, hey Iida! You finished too?” Uraraka stopped what she was doing and turned to look at him as entered into the dorm room. “Not quite. I decided to take a short break before moving all those books out. I see things are going well here?” Uraraka nodded, and Deku replied with a little “Yup!” The two then decided to help Deku clean and pack, which sped up the process and they were finished by noon. 

Then they all reported to the cafeteria to fill up one last time before heading home. “Come sit with us, Todoroki!” Deku called out, and as usual, Todoroki nodded and brought his tray of food over to where him and Iida and Uraraka were sitting. The rest of the cafeteria was bustling with talk between the friend groups of Class 1-A. Seems everyone had plans for the summer, and he could even spot Bakugo with a little smile on his face. At least he wasn’t moody or as normally grumpy as he always was. “How’s the clean-up at your dorm going?” Iida asked, the question directed at “It’s alright, I guess. I have a few more things to move out, but’s that’s all.” He took a spoonful of yakisoba and lifted it up to his lips. “Glad to hear it,” Uraraka said, her face stuffed with food. “Don’t speak with your mouth full!” Iida scolded. This was one of his most repeated scoldings. Uraraka then swallowed and wiped her mouth with a napkin. The rest of lunch went happily, then they all said their goodbyes for the summer. Everyone was carrying at least two full luggage bags. They hauled all their stuff away in cars waiting for them at the front of the school. “Take care!” The teachers were saying, and even Mr. Aizawa was out there waving the kids goodbye. It was a nice sentiment. Eventually, everyone was gone: The rest of the students, the staff, and all the teachers. Summer break had officially begun.

“Oh, I’m so happy to see you, Izuku!” Deku’s mom seemed overjoyed at the thought that her son would be staying with her again. Deku smiled thoughtfully and rubbed the back of his head. “I’m happy too.” They arrived home and Deku had already set out to putting all of his posters back on the wall and all of his clothes back in his dresser. It’d been a while since he was home. “Do you need any help, Izuku?” His mom was peeking her head from behind the door to take a look at his room. There was a softness in her voice, the kind Deku hadn’t heard in a while. He was about to object-everything was almost back in its original spot. But something inside of Deku told him that his mother already knew this. He craned his neck to look back at her, a gentle smile on her face. She just wanted to spend time with her son. Could Deku object to that? “Uh, sure! That’d be great,” he said, noticing that his mother’s face lit up immediately. She entered the room, crouching down next to Deku, like she was waiting for a command. He gestured towards his closet, handing his mother all kinds of stuff to put inside. When they were done, Deku wiped the sweat collecting on his forehead and nodded towards his mom. “Thanks a lot!” He exclaimed, and she beamed with an overwhelming sense of pride. “Of course!” Everything was set up just as it had been before he had ever gone to UA. What if he had never met All Might? He would have never been able to go to the school, and he wouldn’t have met Todoroki and the rest of his friends. The thought made him frown, yet he turned away and shook it off before his mother could see. “Well I guess I’m all done here,” she declared, getting up and brushing off whatever dust had collected on her clothes. Deku nodded as she left the room, closing the door behind her. He sighed, exhausted. Had he really brought all those things to UA? It seemed rather unlikely.

The first few days of summer vacation were nice and relaxing. No hero training or exams or anything like that. Just Deku and his mom. After the first week, things were getting pretty boring. Training to be a hero took up all of his spare time when he went to school and lived at the dorms. What was he supposed to do now? The thought pondered in Deku’s mind as he lay relaxed in his bed, his face blank like an empty canvas. Maybe he could call one of his friends? At the sudden idea, Deku perked up and dug around in his pockets for his phone. He sat up, scrolling through the contacts list. His finger landed on Todoroki first, but he hesitated. Did Todoroki ever call him before? And what if he was busy? Deku shook his head, reminding himself that they were in fact friends, so he shouldn’t mind. He shifted his position on the bed, clicking the call button. After the first few rings, a voice on the other end of the phone: “Hello? Is this Midoriya?” Deku’s face brightened after hearing Todoroki’s voice. “Yeah! Are you busy?” “No, not at the moment at least. Is something wrong?” Deku paused. What should he say? “No, I just got bored I guess.” “I see.” “Is everything good where you are?” The other end paused for what seemed like more than a few moments. Something deep down in Deku’s gut didn’t feel right. “Todoroki?” A long sigh on the other end. What is this feeling? Something feels off, but I can’t tell what it is, he thought. “Well, my father went on a mission a few days after we got off from school. He hasn’t returned, and no one’s really sure why.” Deku’s heart skipped a beat. “Do you think it’s the League of Villains?” “Maybe. But-“ Deku shifted his position again, his chin resting on his free hand. The worried feeling inside him only seemed to get worse. “But?” “I don’t know. The truth is the other pro heroes thought they could handle searching for him, but my father left no trace behind whatsoever. He just thinks he can handle everything on his own. That scumbag.” Todoroki sounded more upset than mad to Deku. “What did All Might say?” Another long pause. “He’s also looking.” This provoked Deku instantly. All this, and they didn’t tell any of the students? What if they could help? Did they not think the students could handle it? “Why didn’t they say anything?” “What do you mean?” “To me! Well, to class 1-A I mean. We could help!” “He’s only disappeared for a few days. For all we know, he could be finishing up and it’s just taking him a while.” “Maybe.” Deku forced himself to agree with Todoroki-no need to get all fired up when things aren’t for certain yet. “Anyways, I gotta go now. Did you need something else?” “No.” And just like that, the conversation ended. Deku put his phone down, the uneasy feeling in his stomach rising. It’s nothing. Endeavor probably got in over his head, and is taking longer than expected. That’s all. Suddenly, a smell rose up to Deku’s nose. He drank in the fragrance, saliva frothing at his lips. The smell was coming from downstairs: pork cutlet bowls! He hadn’t realized he was so hungry until the delicious smell met him and flooded his mind with the savory meal. “Dinner’s ready, Izuku!” And just like that, Deku was put at ease for the moment. He sprung from his bed and dashed outside his room. “Looks really yummy!” He praised, sitting down at the table.

Two more days passed by, and Deku had mostly spent them over the phone with Uraraka or Iida. Todoroki wasn’t picking up at all, which only worried Deku even more. Even still, he tried to shake the feeling. It was only a hunch, after all. Still...why wasn’t Todoroki responding? Did he lose his phone or something? Maybe All Might knew something? Yes, that was it. Deku just needed to call All Might to find out more information. After a couple more days, when he was sure that’d he’d called Todoroki fifty times, he decided to ring All Might for a change. Deku crouched in his bed, biting his nail. Finally the ringing stopped. “Young Midoriya?” “All Might! It’s great to hear your voice again!” “And it’s great to hear yours as well!” Deku paused for a moment. Did All Might seem too...happy? Wasn’t he looking for Endeavor? “Um, All Might?” “Yes, my boy?” “Is Endeavor really missing? And do you know where Todoroki is?” A pause on the other end. Deku waited hesitantly. “Yes, it’s true. I see Todoroki told you?” “But, why didn’t you ask us for help?” Then, a loud laughter erupted on the other end of the phone. All Might was laughing? What did he find funny? Did he really think they were weak after everything they’ve been through? “Young Midoriya, it’s summer! A time for you to relax, and not have to worry.” “But, a hero never truly relaxes.” “Hmm, you’re right. But as of now, the other pro heroes that specialize in hunting or finding others are on the case. Unless things get bad and they turn up with nothing, don’t you worry. Knowing Endeavor, he can also probably take of himself. Okay, young Midoriya?” “O-ok. But have you heard from Todoroki?” All Might made a thoughtful noise. “He’s probably at home. If you’re that worried, why don’t you go check in on him?” Deku felt surprised at the idea. He’d never been to Todoroki’s house. But he knew where it was... ”Okay. Sorry to bother you, All Might.” “Not at all.” The call ended, and in that moment, Deku knew exactly what to do.

“Is something wrong?” Deku’s mom questioned with grave uncertainty as she drove Deku over to Todoroki’s house. Deku remained silent, thinking and wondering and trying to make sense of the situation. “Izuku?” He snapped back into reality, turning to reply. Before he could say anything, he could see that his mother was deeply concerned. Her face was a little paler than usual, and Deku could see that she was worried. He tried putting on a smile, shaking off the odd feeling growing in his stomach. “Yeah, I just want to check in on him.” He’d already told his mother the situation with Endeavor missing, so she was well informed. In fact, he could see her face calm a little. This made Deku feel a lot better. They arrived at the Todoroki house shortly after. As Deku’s mom decided to wait in the car, he trotted over to the front door, reminding himself that everything was going to be okay. No need to get nervous. Todoroki is fine. Everything is fine. And with that, he proceeded to knock on the door. Once. Then twice. Why isn’t anyone answering the door? Deku stood there awkwardly, trying to find a solution. It occurred to him to try the knob, and surprisingly the door was open. Not good. By now, Deku was genuinely worried. He entered the house, quietly and carefully closing the door behind him. There were no lights on. All the windows had blinds covering them. Everything was dark. A shiver ran down his spine. He looked around nervously as he walked in further. “Hello? It’s me, Midoriya, Todoroki’s friend. I was worried, so I-“ Deku turned around a corner of the house that lead into another room. He stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes wide open. He stumbled backwards at what he saw, his whole body shaking, his mind swirling in confusion. The world seemed to stop spinning.


	2. Chapter 2

The undeniable stench of blood. Although Deku had smelled it many, many times before, it was a new sensation every time. Normally, Deku was prepared for blood: he was prepared to see people get hurt, but he was always ready to protect them to make sure it wouldn’t happen again. That was always the mindset: when he fought the League of Villains, when he fought the Yakuza to save Eri. Blood was just a part of the equation. But here, this was different. It was two people, and although Deku had never seen them before, he had a pretty good idea who they were. A girl with white hair that had red streaks in it and a boy with all white hair were lying on the ground, limp and looking unconscious. Or maybe even dead. Deku cupped his hands around his face, his eyes leading him right to puddle of blood beneath the two bodies. Were they dead? After calming his mind and heart a bit, so much so that he wouldn’t pass out on the spot, he carefully approached the bodies, checking their pulse. Still alive, good. But for how much longer? Deku pulled out his phone-something that’d he’d been using quite a lot lately-and called for the emergency services. “We’ll be there in 5 minutes.” “O-okay, thank you.” After that, he got up, trying to observe the place. Any signs of a break-in? Any dropped weapons or footprints? No, even a thug is too smart for that. Deku circled around the house, until he came across some stunning evidence. A broken window, shattered glass on either side. But no sign of Todoroki...Deku gasped. Di-did they kidnap him? But, why would they? A few moments later, he could hear the ambulances from outside, people coming through the door bringing stretchers, and lastly his mother, who had hurried up to him in a frantic leap. “Izuku! Izuku, what’ going on? What’s-“ she turned to find the limp bodies being pulled onto the stretchers and nearly fell over. “Easy mom! It’s going to be okay. They’re still alive, I checked. Just relax, okay?” Deku hated to see his mother like this. And to make matters worse, Todoroki was nowhere to be found. 

“A break-in?” All Might repeated, as if he were confused. Deku sighed as he held the phone closer to his ear. “Unfortunately, yeah. I think I found Todoroki’s siblings on the ground, in a puddle of blood. They were rushed to the hospital, though I’m sure they would’ve died if I hadn’t come right away.” It stung Deku to have to relive the scene in his mind. On a mission, he could’ve prepared for the worst, even if it were a surprise attack. But this-there was no warning, no chance to protect them. “I see. And you said you found the window shattered?” “Yeah, the police are looking into that right now. Unless they could confirm it was a villain, they won’t bother to ask the pro heroes to come help, though.” “I see. And you didn’t find Todoroki there?” “No.” Deku’s heart shrunk. They weren’t getting anywhere. Deku straightened his back and leaned into the phone. “I think he was kidnapped, and I think the same for Endeavor. Maybe someone was after the Todoroki family.” “Hmmm. It’s not a bad thought. I’ll check in with Gran Torino and the police and see what they think. Call me if anything else happens, okay young Midoriya?” “Of course!” Deku ended the call, putting his phone down on his night stand and flopping down onto his bed. All of this is so confusing. I just want to find Todoroki and his dad and forget this ever happened. But Deku knew that if he really was kidnapped, then it wouldn’t be the average thug. It couldn’t be-Todoroki and Endeavor are too powerful for that. Deku moaned. All this when summer break had just started: when was he ever going to catch a break?

The next day wasn’t much better. All Might called again to update him: there weren’t any signs of Todoroki’s ice or fire, so he was probably knocked out before he could fight. It seems that the thug hadn’t realized Todoroki had siblings, so he had to improvise and fight them head on. And with that, this particular bad guy left a lot of evidence behind, including the idea that they could be with a much bigger group. The thug didn’t seem to use any quirk power, and with all the traces they left behind, it was highly unlikely to be the League of Villains. Deku appreciated the update, but there was still a big gap in between. Where were they? How would they find them? What they did have a powerful quirk, but didn’t manifest it? At least the LOV was ruled out. That was a little comforting to Deku, but not enough. With his head spinning and his heart thumping, Deku decided to take a walk and relax a bit. “I’ll be back before noon!” His mom nodded at this, allowing him to go. Deku walked along the sidewalk, slowly, and then suddenly felt like he was sulking. He had informed Uraraka and Iida of the incident, both of them sending their regards. Talking to them lifted his spirits, but both had left for vacation elsewhere and it would be a while before they could talk to each other again. This left Deku without any of his close friends, and that didn’t help at all. The fresh air, however, was able to clear his mind a little, as he closed his eyes and tried to relax. It was at that moment that the peacefulness was interrupted. “Izuku Midoriya.” Deku suddenly jolted into a stop, shivers running along his arms and back. It was a voice that was deep and terrifying, one that Deku had never heard before. He turned around, his face hardened in determination. “Who’s there?” He barked. He was ready for a fight, if it had any correlation with Todoroki. The voice was echoing through an alley, so Deku decided to take that route. “Izuku Midoriya,” the voice repeated, loud and scary. “Do you have anything to do with Todoroki’s disappearance?” “Izuku Midoriya.” “Answer me!” Deku was furious. He wanted answers. As he walked down the alley, the voice became louder and closer. Deku eyed his surroundings, readying for an ambush. Finally, the voice became so loud that it stopped, all at once. Crunch! Deku looked to see what he had stepped on. A small slip of paper. He bent down, picked it up, and examined it with his eyes. By now, whoever was behind that voice was long gone. The note read: Ahhh, Izuku. You don’t me, but I know you. Looking for your friend? I know where he is. But I don’t feel like giving him up just yet. Go tell the pro heroes that I’ll leave them a little gift. 

By now, Deku was outright enraged. He safely traveled out of the alleyway, and back to his house. He called All Might, telling them that they should meet soon, because he had what could end up being a vital piece of evidence. At least now, they were one step closer. But what if it was a mislead? Deku grunted in frustration, stuffing his head into a pillow. He wanted to save Todoroki, and anyone else who could have been kidnapped. But right now, more than anything, he needed comfort. Reassurance from a friend. He couldn’t tell his mom, because anything like a threat on a note directed to him would possibly cause her to have a heart attack. He didn’t want her to worry. He couldn’t call Iida or Uraraka, because they were busy somewhere far away on vacation with their families. This would only worry them more. But if he couldn’t find anyone to talk to, he’d keep thinking about the note: What did ‘a little gift’ mean? Who wrote it? Why Todoroki? Deku needed to stop the train of thought. The only person he could of was Bakugo. He was the only other person that was close enough to discuss something like this. Kacchan will never pick up the phone. Worse, he might just end up yelling at me, he thought. But Deku needed to talk to someone close. Someone who wouldn’t mind. Someone he could just vent to, that might not even care. Bakugo seemed like the best choice at that. Still hesitant, he picked up the phone and called him. Where’d he even get his number? Mr. Aizawa made sure everyone exchanged numbers after the first attack on the USJ, just in case. Other than that, Deku had never really called anyone beside his three close friends. After four or five rings, a rough voice answered on the other end. “This better be important, you damn nerd.” Deku exhaled, then took a deep breath. “Hey, Kacchan, so here’s the thing-“ and then Deku spilled everything. He told Bakugo everything about Todoroki, about All Might, and about the note. When he finished, Deku waited patiently on the phone for a response. It took a few moments, as if Bakugo was trying to wrap his head around it. At least he wasn’t getting angry and yelling. “So icy hot’s missing? Some sort of bastard took him?” “Yeah. The police and All Might keep updating me, but so far there aren’t any leads.” “And why are you telling me all of this? Hell, I have better things to do than listen to your annoying voice over the phone.” Bakugo sounded like he was getting pretty angry. Deku paused, not sure what to say. “I just...” He began. “I just needed to vent my emotions.” Damn it! Why would you say that? Bakugo’s just gonna call you a wimp, he thought. “Whatever. You vented your emotions and now you’re done. Hang up before I come over there and kick your ass for wasting my time.” Deku wasn’t sure where to go from this. He was craving reassurance, but Bakugo wasn’t the right person for that. Even so...”Wait!”He blurted, not sure if he was gonna regret it later. “Huh?” “Oh, never mind.” And at that, Deku hung up.

It was lunch the next day, and Deku couldn’t help but feel useless. His head drooped over the table and his lunch was untouched. “Izuku, please eat,” his mother pleaded, fretting that Deku might go hungry. Truth was, he was starving. But he couldn’t bring himself to eat. Deku turned his head to the other side, facing his mother. Slowly, he looked up, curling his arms on the table. “I know you’re worried-“ his mother began, reaching for his hand and placing hers on top of his. Deku tried not to look directly into her eyes. “But the police are doing everything they can, aren’t they? And the pro heroes?” Deku shook his head solemnly. “Most of the pro heroes are off either on vacation or taking care of other leads in other cases. It’s mainly just All Might and some others that specialize in tracking. But it’s like no one really cares.” He grabbed his fork, sticking it into the udon, bringing it to his mouth. Seeing it up close made his empty stomach grumble even more. “Oh, Izuku, you know that’s not true. No one anticipated for this, and it just so happens that most of the heroes are out of town. If things get worse, I’m sure All Might will tell you, okay?” Deku nodded his head, chewing quietly. His mother was right. Todoroki was only missing for a few days and Endeavor was a strong pro hero-he became number one after All Might retired. The other heroes and police were searching, and All Might was doing everything he could in his now forever shrunken body. All they could do was wait, and Deku knew he just had to be hopeful and patient. If too much time passed by, All Might would definitely inform him, right? And then he would probably ask Deku to help find Todoroki, right? Because this so-called kidnapper seemed to have ties to him? And because several of the other heroes were occupied? Unless they were dealing with the LOV or the Yakuza, they wouldn’t just drop everything and hurry over. Deku just had to have faith.

And then it happened. It was maybe four or five in the morning, and Deku was deep asleep. His phone, on the other side of the room, started to ring. It took a few minutes, but finally Deku awoke in grunts, lifting his head and rubbing his eyes. “Huh?” He slowly sat up, swinging his legs over and getting up, walking over to where he had left his phone. “All Might?” There were three missed calls, all of them from All Might. Deku yawned, rubbing his head, and then called back. What could be so important? He thought. Suddenly, the weird feeling in Deku’s stomach returned, making him remember the situation with Todoroki. “Young Midoriya?” “Hey, All Might.” “Sorry to wake you, but I thought you might want to know as soon as possible.” “What?” Deku perked up, his mind completely awake now. News on Todoroki, perhaps? “It’s Endeavor.” Oh. “He came back, but...” “But?” “He was pretty bruised up. Nothing too bad, though. We were thinking, Gran Torino and the police and I...maybe this was the ‘little gift’ that the note mentioned?” Deku’s eyes widened. “But you’re not sure yet?” “No, and Endeavor passed out a little ways after he arrived. This might be more serious than we thought.” Deku, now sitting on his bed, pulled a blanket over his feet, listening intently and waiting for All Might to speak again. “Endeavor told us that his mission was to scout out and possibly capture a group of bandits known as The Firestarters.” “The Firestarters? Weird name. But I guess it makes sense, if they like to wreak havoc.” “Yes. Right now the other pro heroes who are also on this case are resting, but we’ll see if they’ve gained any new information a little later.” “And if they haven’t?” All Might took a deep sigh. “Then, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to ask a few students from the hero course to help search.” Deku pumped a fist into the air. “Yes!” He was finally given the chance to look for Todoroki, or any clues that might lead to him. Deku felt better now, and the uneasiness lessened a bit. “But if you encounter anyone, you are to come and tell me or the police or any of the other pro heroes, understood?” “Yes, of course, All Might. Thank you!” All Might chuckled on the other end. “I can see that young Todoroki’s disappearance has caused you to fret quite a bit, hasn’t it?” Deku looked down again. “It worried me a lot, actually. But now, with more people looking, I’m sure we’ll find him!” 

And it went just as planned when Deku woke up. All Might called again, saying there weren’t any new updates, meaning he and any other students who wanted to help or weren’t out traveling could look as well. Deku told his mother, and promised her that he would be careful. He decided to regroup with All Might and Endeavor, meet them in person, and then ask Endeavor a few questions on his mind. They actually ended up meeting at Gran Torino’s place. “Where’s All Might?” Deku asked when he got there, confused to see no sign of him any where. Gran Torino shook his head. “That Toshinori. He’s out gathering whatever students from your school to help in the search.” Deku nodded his head at this, positioning himself a little ways from Endeavor. He still had those questions on his mind: would now be a good time to ask? Deku opened his mouth to speak, but stopped short after Endeavor turned away, either on purpose to avoid questioning or just because. He held off on asking just yet: I’ll wait for All Might to show up first, so we can share the information with everyone who decided to help. The three waited in the room for a few more minutes in silence, until a knock came at the door. Deku straightened up, preparing for the idea that maybe no one at all wanted to help, or that they were all just busy. Either way, Deku had already made his mind up: No matter what, I’ll save Todoroki, whether I’m by myself or with my classmates. “I am here!” All Might said proudly, opening the door with his hands on his hips. “And I’ve brought some back-up as well!” Deku relaxed, now that he knew he wouldn’t be alone. But all at once, he froze again. Those bright red eyes. That ash blonde hair. Don’t tell me...”Kacchan!?” He blurted, his finger pointed out in from of him, his eyes wide and his shoulders tensing up. Gran Torino and Endeavor never really knew how screwed up their relationship was, and even still Deku could feel their eyes on him. Bakugo stumbled back a step, scrunching his face up and gritting his teeth. He was not at all happy with what he saw. That stupid nerd is here too?! Bakugo thought. “WHAT IN THE HELL!?” He was raging: Bakugo’s gaze fixed on All Might, his eyes squinting. He was definitely furious. And Deku seemed to understand the situation even before All Might said it: “We needed the help! All the other students were busy, and if I told you that young Midoriya would be here, you’d object!” Deku tried to remain calm, even as Bakugo’s glare pierced right through him. Then he made a sound, similar to a tsk! and turned away, crossing his arms, seemingly unimpressed. “I thought the mission would already be hell in itself, because we’re trying to save that icy hot bastard. But now I have to work with that weakling?” He spun around fast, eyes directed like arrows at All Might, who looked nervous. A bead of sweat dribbled down his right temple. Deku sure was glad that Gran Torino and Endeavor had decided to keep quiet for now. Bakugo spoke again before All Might could: “Whatever. I’m here now, and I guess I should’ve been expecting Deku to be here,” He snickered, suddenly meeting Deku’s gaze again, grinding his teeth, looking like he was about to explode. “Just don’t get in my way, damn nerd!” Deku swallowed, now fully facing Bakugo. “I’m not a weakling. I can take care of myself,” he announced, and not just to Bakugo. He wanted to make sure that everyone in the room knew it too.

After all that was settled, Deku and Bakugo changed into their hero outfits and then gathered around Gran Torino, who seemed to have the most intel. “For right now, it seems Endeavor has lost all of his memory of the mission, so he does not have any clues or information to provide. That means one of those bandits might have a memory-erasing quirk.” We all nodded in unison. “Meaning that we all need to be careful, especially you, Toshinori.” All Might frowned. It was true-he couldn’t fight or defend himself, meaning it would probably be better for him to stay here instead. “You should just help the police piece together more information. That way you can help without being at risk.” All Might nodded at Gran Torino. “It’d be better if we went in two different directions.” Torino looked in Deku’s direction, a smile growing on his face. Deku straightened up again, his entire body alert and ready. “You and Bakugo head over to that alleyway where you first found that note. Venture in further but don’t let your guard down.” Deku nodded, turning to Bakugo. He rolled his eyes, resting his chin on one of his hands. “Endeavor and I will go to where he claims he remembered leaving to find the group of thugs, apparently known as The Firestarters. But after that, Endeavor here doesn’t remember a thing.” Deku turned to face Endeavor, who seemed rather quiet and sad, his head facing down. Probably worried about his son. “Oh! I almost forgot: Mr. Aizawa decided to act as backup, in case anyone of us goes missing.” Everyone nodded at this, preparing to take off. Deku was both mentally and physically prepared, and he could say the same for Bakugo. In fact, he probably wasn’t even helping for Todoroki’s sake: Bakugo most likely got tired of not being able to fight anymore bad guys. Afterwards, they all headed out the door, giving last moment feedback to each other and reminding everyone to stay safe. The last thing Deku heard before he and Bakugo broke off from the group was, “Stay vigilant, young Midoriya. And stay safe.”

Deku and Bakugo walked side by side towards the alleyway he remembered finding the note in. There was definitely tension in the air: what if Bakugo just up and decided to to stop helping? What if he got mad at Deku, and wanted to fight him instead? As they strolled down the sidewalk, these questions were slowly filling Deku’s mind. He had to keep a close eye on Bakugo, and he had to make sure that he didn’t annoy him too much. For now, Bakugo looked pretty content: a stern expression on his face and a will to fight in his eyes. Deku smiled at this, knowing that he wasn’t the type to just give up. He had a strong ally walking right beside him, even if it didn’t feel like it half the time. A gentle breeze approached as they neared the entrance of the alleyway. Deku pointed a finger in that direction: “I’m pretty sure that’s the alley where I found the note,” he said, his voice firm, his eyes narrowed. Bakugo tilted his head forward, like he was ready for anything. This eased the feeling in Deku’s gut just a bit. They were both prepared. “You better be right,” Bakugo said at last, glaring at him from the corner of his eye. Deku nodded, entering the alleyway first. He immediately heard Bakugo’s disapproval of this seconds after: “Don’t walk in front in me!” He snarled, shoving his way forward. Deku’s face relaxed a bit. Kacchan doesn’t seem at all nervous or worried. I only sense confidence, he thought. But as they ventured deeper into the dark place, Deku’s face and shoulders stiffened again, his mind completely focused. Bakugo strutted beside him now, his gauntlets bumping against Deku every once in a while. The alleyway was narrowing slowly, inch by inch. Soon, they had to walk in a single file line, with Bakugo leading, of course. “Damn it! It’s getting too cramped in here,” He wailed, positioning his hands on either side of the wall. “We’re nearing the end, I think,” Deku reassured, sweat sliding down his left cheek. The humidity was unbearable. Every now and then, he could hear Bakugo grunt in front of him, murmuring insults. Were they directed at Deku? Or just the situation they were stuck in? He sighed, unable to make sense of his partner. They just had to be patient, right? How long can an alley be, anyways?

Very long. At least this one was: it never seemed to end. Where was the other side? The two had been walking for almost an hour now. Bakugo and Deku were cramped so close together, he could feel Deku’s warm breath on his neck. “Oi! Stop breathing on me, Deku!” Bakugo was sweating like crazy now, and he was feeling pretty light headed as well. Of course, Deku wasn’t feeling much better, either. His throat was dry and his legs ached. If only I’d of brought some water, he thought. By now, the alley was so narrow, Bakugo’s gauntlets wouldn’t fit by his sides. He had to raise them up over his head, which would render him defenseless in the face of an enemy. This angered him. “How much longer of this damn alley is there?” Deku sighed behind him, lowering his head. “I’m...I’m not sure.” Deku’s voice had become very, very raspy. He hardly sounded like himself anymore. And then suddenly, Bakugo slammed to a halt. Deku ran into him, causing him to look up. “What? Do you see something?” Bakugo stood there, like he was frozen, trembling slightly. “What...th-the hell?” Without warning, Bakugo slumped to his knees. “Kacchan!” Deku lowered himself, placing a hand on Bakugo’s shoulder. He hardly seemed to notice. “There’s no...no more air!” Bakugo sounded like he was choking on his own words. Deku, now panicking, tried to drag him away from the area. But suddenly, he felt it too, gasping and falling over. There’s...some sort of pressure weighing me down, he thought, unable to catch his breath. Bakugo, by now, was passed out, laying on his side. Deku tried to get up, but even as he used One for All, the pressure was too strong. Deku’s vision started to get blurry, as he was unsure of what to do. Is this how the bandit got Todoroki? No wonder he hadn’t used his quirk: how do you fight an enemy if you can’t even see them? Deku’s mind started to swirl again, his bones struggling under the weight, as he finally drifted into a state of unconsciousness. His eyes were squinted shut, and he couldn’t hear anything anymore. What was happening? Some sort of pressure quirk? One that manipulates gravity, like Uraraka’s? In any case, the two were passed out on the ground, still unsure of the situation, and even more unsure of what was about to take place next.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a small thing about my writing style: I hardly put any fluff in the story. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is up to you, but I find it rather boring, and I prefer the action-which is exactly what you’ll get in this chapter.

A chilling breeze awoke Deku to his senses, his eyes opening to a sudden coldness in the air. Where was he? Deku was lying on his stomach, flat on the ground, wincing as he looked up. He remembered what had happened before he had passed out, but Deku’s specific location still remained unclear to him. He got up slowly, eyeing his surroundings. Ouch! My body hurts so bad, and I don’t see Kacchan anywhere in this room. What is this place, and where is he? Deku thought, trying to make sense of the situation. He could feel it in his bones shaking beneath him: maybe the aftermath of that gravity quirk? As he pondered, Deku looked for a way out. There weren’t any windows, so he was most likely underground. The room was made up of mostly empty space, with a few boxes of stuff here and there and a table. Finally, Deku spotted an exit, the only door leading out. He grunted in pain as he struggled to move his aching body, limping towards the door and keeping his head up. Deku hadn’t sustained any visual injuries, or at least any that he was aware of. But it didn’t matter. He had no idea where he was, and his only train of thought at the moment was to escape and find Bakugo. After they regrouped, the plan would be to find Todoroki, same as Gran Torino and Endeavor. Yes, everything would be fine. He just needed to get out this room. Unfortunately, Deku found out very soon that it would be easier said than done. He hadn’t noticed before, but beside the door was a dark figure, who now stepped into view. Deku paused, looking up at the mysterious shadow. A shiver ran down his spine. Who was this? A member of The Firestarters? Whoever it was, they were wearing a black cloak around their body, masking their face. Any weapons would also be hidden underneath the cloak, making it hard for Deku to choose his next course of action. Should he just charge at the figure? No, that would be too risky. For now, Deku would fall back, waiting for the cloaked person to make a move. He balled his hands into fists, hesitantly stepping back, a lump in his throat. What should he do? The figure had only revealed their presence, and that was all. “Who are you?” Deku spoke up, his body stiffening. The figure tilted their head back, pausing, then taking a step forward. “Apologies, but I cannot tell you my name. I work with a group known as The Firestarters.” Deku’s eyes widened. So this mysterious person was definitely an enemy. “I understand that you know about us?” It was a male voice, Deku noted, as he narrowed his eyes and took a defensive stance. The cloaked member reached his hand out. “No need to get all fired up. I won’t hurt you. As long you don’t take a step in my direction, you’ll be fine.” Only one problem with that: the figure was standing right in front of the door, guarding it. There weren’t any other exits. Even if Deku decided to punch through the wall, there’s no telling where it might lead him. It would most probably just be a dead end, and Deku didn’t have any time to waste. He stood up straight, readying himself to fight.

“Not standing down, are we?” Deku was preparing to use his shoot style, gathering as much energy as he could into his right leg. “I’ll ask you this just once. Where are Todoroki and Bakugo?” The cloaked man chuckled, crouching down and holding his hand to the floor. “Come at me if you wish.” Deku’s face hardened. He was desperate and angry, but he couldn’t let himself be driven by madness. He needed to make the right decisions, and he couldn’t risk stopping now if both of his friends were in danger. Deku had no idea what the figure’s quirk was, but the same was true vice versa. They were both taking a leap into the unknown, and so Deku was prepared to take advantage of that. In less than a second, he took off, aiming straight at the figure’s masked head. That would be the fastest way to neutralize the enemy. But before Deku was able to get close enough to strike, he suddenly reappeared on the other end of the room. What? How did I get here? He thought, trying to analyze his opponent. What did he do? Was it some sort of teleportation power? The figure remained close to the ground. “Well done, you almost managed to land a hit. That’s some impressive speed you got there. And all of that concentrated energy! Against any average bandit, you might’ve knocked them out.” The cloaked man raised his hand, pointing it directly at Deku. What was his next move? “Of course, I’m not just some average thug.” Before he had any time to react, Deku was teleported right in front the figure. No time to power up! He attempted to counterattack with his balled up fist, but in no time at all he was teleported back to the same spot as before. Deku paused, taking a second to breath. The cloaked man-he was too fast, predicting all of his moves. Deku wiped the sweat from his face, readying to attack again. “Oh! That was a close one. I’ve never met a child that had so much intense power!” Deku went forth again, pulling his leg back to strike. “One for All, Shoot Style!” He commanded, only to respawn again on the other side of the room. He was starting to get agitated. I’m wasting so much time, Deku thought. The enemy simply wagged his finger in front of himself. “All these attempts are futile, don’t you see? No matter how many times you come at me, you’re only exhausting yourself.” Damn it, he’s right. I need to fall back and think about this strategically, Deku told himself. He backed up a bit, lowering himself, gaze fixed on the cloaked man. “As fun as this is, I’m getting quite bored. Let’s end this, shall we?”

End this? Deku had no idea what he meant. Suddenly, the man disappeared: Where’d he go? Did he teleport? “Behind you.” Deku whipped around, just in time to be smacked right in the face, tumbling backwards off of his feet. “I never said I couldn’t teleport myself, now did I?” It was a minor punch, but it still stung enough to leave Deku with a nose bleed. He didn’t mind: after all, it was only one flimsy punch. Immediately, Deku got back up on his feet, searching for the cloaked man. He teleported again? What was his weakness? “Over here!” Deku turned, counterattacking with a punch, only to find that he had teleported again. “Now that was really close!” A hit landed on the back of his head, causing him to fall forward. Deku was beyond frustrated. How was he supposed to defeat a villain who couldn’t hold still for a second? And now that the mysterious foe was fighting back, that didn’t leave him with any time to think. “What, are you confused? Can you not think of a way to defeat me?” Finally, Deku saw him again, on the opposing side of the room. The man’s hand lifted again, nodding his head forward, laughing. He teleported again, kicking Deku in the stomach, making him grunt and fly forward, tumbling on the ground to a stop. “What? Do you need a hand or something? Are you that defenseless to a quirk like mine?” Deku slowly got up on his elbows and his knees, tucking his head away, trying to endure the pain. And then it hit him: ‘Do you need a hand or something?’ Hand, he thought. The enemy’s words echoed through his head, until he finally understood how to counterattack effectively. Yes, how could he not see it before? And with that, Deku had a plan in mind. He got up, clutching his side, facing the cloaked man. “Still think you can beat me?” “I do.” “Well then, you must have a plan. Let’s see it then,” and with that, the cloaked member’s hand outstretched in front of him. Deku smiled at this, which confirmed his suspicion: in order to teleport himself or another object, he needed to hold out his hand in front of him in a certain direction. Now, Deku was fully prepared to fight back. In moments, he reappeared in front of him, pulling his fist back for a blow to the lower jaw. Deku, having his hands readied at his sides, quickly stretched them out and grabbed the man’s wrists, stopping the punch midway. “What the? How did you-“ Deku tackled him to the ground, pinning him down. If he couldn’t move his arms, he couldn’t teleport. “Let go of me! Let go of me right now!” The cloaked man struggled and struggled, unable to free himself of Deku’s firm grasp. “Sorry, but I can’t do that.” “But, how did you stop me?” “Simple. I figured out how your quirk works by letting you manifest it. After I confirmed a pattern in your teleporting, I used it against you. That little hand gesture of yours? That’s what gave it away.” The man was still struggling, trying to escape. “Where are Todoroki and Bakugo?” The enemy grunted, remaining silent for a moment. “I don’t know who that is. The boss only told me about you, but I don’t actually know if there were others.” “Who is your boss?” “Hell! Like I’d tell you.” This conversation wasn’t going anywhere, whether he was lying or telling the truth. And Deku had wasted so much time fighting him. He was useless. With one hit, the man was rendered unconscious, but the blow wasn’t hard enough to cause any actual damage. Deku stood up, facing the door, a determined expression on his face. Time to go save his friends.

Seemed there was a whole network underground, made up of tunnels, similar to the Yakuza’s headquarters. As usual, Deku kept his head up, his eyes wide, and his ears alert. He wiped the dirt from his face. There was no telling which tunnel lead where, but Deku kept on walking. That was the mission from the start, and he wasn’t going to abandon Todoroki or Bakugo. He was going to save them both, no matter what. Still, how was he going to find them? Deku had only his instincts to lead him and nothing else. After maybe a little over an hour of walking, Deku sat up against the wall, his face relaxing and his shoulders loosening up. His legs were exhausted, and his body was still undergoing the pain from that gravity quirk back in the alley. For now, Deku’s plan was to rest for a bit, then to travel deeper until he found another room. Meanwhile, thoughts started to fill his head: What were Gran Torino and a Endeavor doing? Have they noticed that both Bakugo and himself were missing? Was Mr. Aizawa looking for them? If so, they were in for a harsh scolding when all of this was over. And what about Deku’s mother? He had plainly told her that he was only going out to look for Todoroki: “I see. I can tell it’s been bothering you, Izuku, and I want you to be happy,” his mother said, a hand on his shoulder. Deku sighed, looking up into her kind, gentle face. He smiled. “I promise, I’ll be back before you know it. I won’t make you worry about me.” Deku’s mother leaned in to kiss her son on the forehead, the touch being soft and comforting. “Besides, I won’t be alone.” That was what he had told her, straight to her face. And yet now, he found himself sitting alone, in unknown territory without a clue of what could be lying up ahead. Deku curled up, hiding his face. There’s no doubt that she would immediately freak out when she heard that her precious son had gone missing, and the thought made Deku feel miserable. No, this is no time to crack, he told himself. And Deku was right. He needed to keep a level-headed mind in order to keep going. He lifted his head as he started getting back up, stretching briefly and then continuing down the tunnel. Deku had fought much worse before. A group of lowly thugs won’t stop him.

Deku’s eyes glared straight ahead, it being too dark to see too far in front of him. In every step, in every breath: Deku didn’t doubt a thing. He was filled with confidence, and even if he wasn’t at times, he would smile through it, just as All Might had said. At the moment, however, Deku was not smiling. His face remained serious. After a while, Deku came across a fork in the tunnels: two paths, one a detour and one that kept going straight. Deku stopped, thinking about his options. A detour most likely meant a dead end...but what if it wasn’t? What if there was another room, or maybe even a clue? Deku wanted to see before continuing on the path he was currently taking, so he headed down the second path. Remaining alert and keeping his guard up, he arrived at...a lake? An underground lake, with the path cutting across it like a bridge. For only a second, Deku seemed to relax. He eyed his surroundings, making sure that no one else was there. The lake was several meters below the path, and with such dark and murky water, a fall meant he would not be able to climb back up. To make matters worse, the path had narrowed down so much so it would be hard to stay atop. Deku’s hand balled up into fists again: this was the way leading to one of his friends. Why else would such a dangerous obstacle be in the group’s underground tunnels? Simple: they had planned for Deku’s escape, and decided to add the lake and its conditions to keep him away. Anger bubbled up inside of him. Bakugo or Todoroki was on the other side, meaning Deku would stop at nothing. He approached the narrowed path, carefully testing it first. It didn’t crumble under his weight, meaning he just had to be careful. And if he did fall in, he would use he shoot style to propel himself to the surface. With this in mind, Deku started to tiptoe across. 

He was almost halfway there when it happened. Deku misstepped, and the pressure of him slamming down on the skinny path was all it took for it to shatter completely. Having prepared for the situation, he calmly jumped away from the debris, so that he wouldn’t fall on any sharp pieces when he broke through the surface of the water. It was a bit of a long fall, until he was finally submerged, the water chilling him to the bone. Immediately, Deku started to panic: he hadn’t prepared for the water to be ice cold. He would need to work fast in order to survive, or hypothermia would kill him within a few minutes. Don’t worry, he told himself. He tossed and turned in the water, unable to control his movement. Wait, which way was up towards the surface? Having turned around so much in the icy water, Deku could no longer tell which way was up and which way was down. He was stuck. It was too dark, too murky to see and he wasn’t sure what to do. Damn it! What do I do? I’m going to die down here! He thought, his mind spinning. Deku’s lungs would reach full capacity soon, and there was nothing he could do. The water kept tossing and turning him around, causing him to feel dizzy, and his head started to hurt. He felt helpless and alone and cold. Even if Deku was able to hold his breath for longer, the water would still freeze him to death. What was he thinking? He hadn’t even planned for one of the most likely situations, which was equally frustrating and disappointing. Deku’s arms had been flailing about, but now they relaxed, as did his entire body. He was going die because of no one else’s mistake: just his own. And Deku hadn’t even been able to rescue Todoroki yet. Is this really how it’s gonna end? He thought, the cold water piercing into his skin, making him tremble uncontrollably.

Deku had given up the fight in the lake, starting to slowly drift around, unsure of his surroundings or what he should do now. Just as his lungs were about to burst, he felt something in the water: this awakened him a bit, his arms still limp but his mind focused. Deku felt it again, a sudden surge in the water followed by complete stillness. What was going on? Was there a creature in the lake that Deku hadn’t noticed before? In one swift motion, a hand shot out and grabbed one of his arms. Unsure of what was happening, Deku started to squirm, and the grip from the hand tightened. It was definitely another person: that much was already clear to him. But who’s hand? An enemy’s? Maybe Mr. Aizawa or Gran Torino? Deku felt himself being pulled in all directions through the frigid water, his cheeks still puffed up with whatever remaining air there was. Whether the hand was from a friend or a foe, he didn’t have much of a choice. The coldness had pretty much paralyzed him, and Deku felt his life slipping away. He was still being dragged around in the water when his body went completely numb. Oh, great, he thought, unable to bear it any longer. Even still, Deku didn’t want to die for a second, no matter how agonizing the pain became. He still hadn’t fulfilled his mission. He still hadn’t saved his friends. And he’d told his mother that he’d be alright and would come home unharmed. But Deku was at his breaking point, and no matter how much he wanted to stay alive, he couldn’t do a damn thing about it. His body fell limp, his mind going blank.

Deku awoke to himself taking deep breaths and coughing up water. He was more than surprised that he had survived, and it took him a few moments to regain his senses: he was on the other side of the lake, laying on solid ground. That much was comforting to him. But the question still remained: how did he survive? Deku’s last memory was of passing out in the water. He turned over, his eyes half closed and his side aching something awful. Deku winced at the pain, slowly sitting up and eyeing his surroundings. No sign of any danger. And then he saw it. Those bright red eyes. That ash blonde hair. Deku’s eyes widened, unable to speak, his body tensing up again. It was Bakugo. Their gazes met, Bakugo’s eyes burning with anger. He started marching over, his fists curled up and his footsteps were as heavy as ever. Did Bakugo save him? Why did he look so mad? These questions filled Deku’s head as Bakugo approached him, a furious expression on his face. “THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING, YOU DUMBASS!!” He leaned over, grabbing Deku by the collar and pulling him close enough to where he could smell his breath. Deku put his hands up, almost in a surrender, and smiled worriedly. “Oh! Kacchan...Did you save me?” Bakugo grunted, releasing his firm grasp and turning away. “Obviously. And now you owe me, you damn nerd.” Deku’s smile became genuine now. “Thanks for that. I probably would’ve died if you weren’t there.” Bakugo felt his face heating up in a crimson red. “Whatever. Idiot.” Deku relaxed back down on the ground, spreading his arms out. “How’d you find me anyway?” “I didn’t. I just happened to come down this way after I escaped.” Deku perked up at this. “You had to fight one of the members too?” Bakugo turned back around, his expression relaxed but firm. “Yeah. Did you find icy hot yet?” Deku shook his head, sitting up again and crossing his legs. He was truly exhausted from struggling so much in the lake, and all of his joints were hurting. The headache wasn’t completely gone either. “You’re no use if you can’t fight,” Bakugo reminded, and his words made complete sense. Deku’s face suddenly changed, his shoulders straightening and his eyes beaming with determination. “No way. I can still fight.” He got up onto his feet, facing Bakugo with a hardened glare. “Fine then, but don’t get in my way,” He said, holding up his right gauntlet and making a fist. The two nodded at each other, preparing to take off. They both had one solid objective in mind, and now that the two had found each other again, they could focus on it without distraction: finding Todoroki.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys, I got lazy. This is going to be another short chapter, and I tried my best to explain the situation that was going on in my head. Writing is so hard! But it’s really fun and it definitely pays off in the end.

Bakugo and Deku ventured deeper and deeper into the tunnel system, hoping to find a clue that might lead them to Todoroki. Unsure of how much time had passed, the two didn’t waste a second, continuously marching forward side by side until they came across a dead end with a door. Bakugo stood there, inspecting the area from a distance. “There’s no other route we can take. The path leads us right to that door.” Even so, Deku looked around, confirming what he had said. “Then let’s go. Be prepared to fight.” “Well duh! Don’t talk to me like I don’t know that.” Deku simply rolled his eyes at the remark and approached the mysterious door, holding his hand out and trying the knob. To his surprise, it was unlocked, and he opened it without a second thought. The room was completely dark inside, and even Bakugo was hesitant to enter. There weren’t any signs of life inside: no noises, no sudden movements. After a few moments of waiting, Bakugo sighed and shoved Deku to the side, taking a few steps inside the room. He held his gauntlet out, taking a defensive stance. Deku peered in at him, all while keeping his distance. It was Bakugo’s fighting style to charge right in, while he’d rather stand back and observe before making a move. “Do you see something?” He whispered, not sure of what was running through Bakugo’s mind. Deku could tell that he had heard him, but Bakugo remained silent, his muscles tensing up and his body frozen. And then: BAM! Bakugo fired an explosion in the darkness, startling Deku for a second. Did he see someone? Deku immediately entered the room, standing by Bakugo, also taking a defensive stance. “I saw something move,” he muttered, his gaze focused in front of him. 

And then again: BAM! Deku had noticed the slightest shift in the darkness when Bakugo had fired a second time. “Damn it! I missed again,” he grunted, a fierce look on his face. Without warning, Bakugo took a few steps farther into the room. Was that really the best option? Why not lie in wait for the enemy to come to them? To Deku, that certainly seemed like the smartest decision, but there was no going back now. Bakugo held out his hand again, ready to strike, when he suddenly took off. Deku, shocked, followed after him: was he in pursuit of the enemy? Making a sound would only break their cover, so Deku decided to just keep quiet and follow his crazy partner, preparing to support him and back him up if they were attacked. “I got you!” Bakugo snapped, leaping forward and propelling himself with his blasts. So much for keeping a low profile, Deku thought, as he charged in after Bakugo, unable see what was happening ahead of him. He heard a thud, a small grunt, and then some heavy breathing. Deku appeared beside Bakugo, who was apparently pinning down a squirming body, a scary smile on his face. “Don’t move! Otherwise I’ll blast you all the way to hell!” He started heating up his palm, but only to act menacing. Deku leaned in, observing the person on the floor: they were also wrapped up in a black cloak, hiding their face. They didn’t seem to be using a quirk, which seemed rather odd to Deku. “Where is Todoroki?” His words cut through the calmness in the air, firm and cold. “Wha...huh?” The voice was tiny-it was that of a female’s. Bakugo seemed surprised by this, unsure of how to react. Deku himself was a bit spooked, but that didn’t make a difference to him. All that mattered was finding Todoroki and getting home safe. He hardened his expression. “Where is he?” The lady turned her head away from him. “Do it. Now!” There was no time to think, no time to counterattack. A black figure appeared out of nowhere, tackling Bakugo to the ground. Deku stood up, his mind racing. He could no longer see Bakugo or the new figure: he could only hear Bakugo’s cursing and a few of his explosive blasts. No need to worry, as Bakugo could take care of himself. Deku needed to find the cloaked woman, his eyes darting around frantically. Where did she go? She had to be close by, right? In all honesty, Deku had no clue how big the room actually was, or if there were any other objects in it or people hiding somewhere. What if they, too, were waiting to make their move? No, he couldn’t think about that now. He needed to find and secure the cloaked lady, and then he could worry about all the other stuff. Footsteps sounded behind him, and he whipped around, but he couldn’t see anything. Footsteps to his left, and he fixed his gaze in that direction. Nothing. More footsteps, only this time he couldn’t tell which direction they were coming from. This frustrated Deku, just as fighting the cloaked man had been. And to make matters worse, all the noise from Bakugo’s end was disrupting his train of thought, making it extremely difficult to pinpoint the location of the cloaked woman.

Was it possible that she stopped? That she might’ve had some sort of night-vision quirk, and that she could see Deku clearly without having to move? It didn’t make any sense to him. SLICE! A sharp blade swiped across Deku’s shoulder, blood gushing from the cut. He stifled a yell, grunting, trying to stay as quiet as he could. A knife? He looked up, trying to sense anyone around him. But Deku couldn’t see anything or hear anything-aside from Bakugo, of course. Did this enemy have a quirk? If there were other people in the room, she wouldn’t be wildly swinging a weapon around. That would pose as too much of a risk. Unless, of course, she had a night-vision quirk, and could see him clearly through all the darkness. SLASH! The blade caught Deku’s leg unexpectedly, the pain surging through him. He needed find the person responsible and he needed to do it quickly. But how? Deku winced in pain, limping towards one side of the room, holding his breath and being careful not to make a sound. If the foe found him easily, that would confirm the use of a night-vision quirk. If not, then there shouldn’t be anyone else in the room, meaning Deku might have a chance. He bumped into a wall, one of his hands covering the cut across his shoulder. Both wounds were still bleeding, meaning Deku needed to end the fight quickly or it could become very dangerous for him. After a few minutes, a knife came jabbing into the wall space right beside his head. That would have instantly killed him if he had been standing there. But at least this confirmed Deku’s theory: there wasn’t anyone else in the room, and this person did not have a night-vision quirk. He held his breath again, slowly moving away. Deku had to come up with a plan to counterattack, or he wasn’t going to win. Suddenly, he took a defensive stance, stepping away from the wall but staying nearby it. His arms were out in front of him: if he felt anything, he would easily be able to use One for All to attack, even if the blade sliced through his hand. All he had to do now was wait.

The knife came crushing down on Deku’s hand after just a few moments, and in one swift motion he lurched forward, pulling his fist back and extending it right into the enemy’s abdomen. Tolerating the pain from his now bloodied hand, Deku stepped forward again, hearing something thud onto the ground. He bent down and inspected the body, confirming that it was the cloaked women from before as he seized the weapon from her grasp. Had she been knocked out cold? No, but she must’ve passed out a few moments after on account of the pain. Deku then glanced around, making sure no one else had been stalking him; He took a deep breath, his face relaxing, the blood loss making him feel dizzy. It was all over in just a few minutes, which was hard to believe, because in such a short amount of time Deku’s body had been butchered up pretty good. He held his non-injured arm over his leg, trying to suppress the blood from the wound. It stung. His whole body was aching. By now, Bakugo had gone silent, meaning he either defeated his opponent and no longer needed to use his quirk or he’d been knocked out. Either way, Deku needed a moment to regroup with himself, to heal as much as he could before he kept going. Deku closed his eyes, leaning backwards, his face pale as ever. “Oi.” A rough voice sounded behind him, and he turned to look. It was Bakugo, and because he was standing so close, Deku could tell that he was also pretty beat up. There was blood on his face and parts of his hero outfit were torn and ripped. Deku took in a slow breath, trying to force a small smile on his face. “What happened to you?” He whispered, his breaths long and loud, his arms drained of color. Bakugo almost looked insulted. “What happened to me? Trying looking into a mirror. You look worse than I do,” he remarked, lifting his arm up in an attempt to wipe some of the blood near his chin. Deku suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion and relief. Bakugo seemed a bit irritated at Deku: “I told you to stay out of my way, and here you are slowing the both of our asses down.” Bakugo sat down a few inches away from him, releasing a sigh. “But I guess I could use the break, especially after a fight like that one.” Deku nodded, checking on his own injuries. The bleeding had mostly stopped, and color was gradually starting to return to his limbs. “Sorry, Kacchan.” Bakugo shifted his position, turning to look at Deku. “You should be, you damn nerd.” In a way, this was comforting, because Bakugo hadn’t been yelling as he said all of this. His voice was only a little louder than a whisper, which didn’t seem at all like himself. Still, Deku’s mind was put at ease, falling asleep in the blink of an eye.

“Wake up, idiot.” Bakugo was thumping him on the head with one of his gauntlets. Deku opened his eyes, yawning and stretching, feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. His body was still hurting quite a bit, but Deku was ready to keep going now, and never once had he thought of staying behind. He would see this through to the end. “How long have I been asleep?” Bakugo shrugged: “I don’t know. I lost track of time.” He stood up straight now, waiting for Deku to get up. Truth was, Bakugo was equally in pain. Not just from the fight, but from his grumbling stomach. When all of this was over, he’d be eating like crazy for days. It was still plenty dark in the room, and finding an exit on the other side was going to be tricky, if there even was one. Deku got on his feet, his face with that same look of determination as before and his fists balled up. “There should be another door on the other side the room. It’s too dark to see, so we’ll have to feel for it.” Bakugo nodded at this, and the two headed off in search of a way out. Meanwhile, as Deku was feeling the wall, thoughts bubbled up in his mind: how much more of this crazy maze did they have to endure before finding Todoroki? Or before they found someone who would give them actual information? Deku had told himself to be patient since the very beginning, but he was getting very annoyed by all the distractions. When he had fought the Yakuza with the other pro heroes, they were able to find Chisaki before he escaped. What if whoever was keeping Todoroki was also planning an escape? What they’ve already left, and this was all for nothing? Deku had to avoid those negative thoughts if he was going to stay emotionally strong. “I think I found something,” Bakugo announced, and Deku appeared by his side. “It doesn’t feel like a door. It feels like some sort of button,” he explained. Deku looked up, considering the fact that it could be a trap. “Maybe we should hold off on pressing it just yet-“ He said, but it was too late. Bakugo, acting on instinct, pushed the button. The ground beneath them opened up all at once, and they both fell through the floor.


	5. Chapter 5

“Damn it!” Bakugo yelled, positioning his gauntlets below him and attempting to blast himself out of the pitfall. Deku took a similar approach at this while still midair, using One for All instead of explosions. Both efforts, however, ended up in failure, because the opening had already been sealed shut again. Deku’s mind was racing in a panic: if they kept falling until they hit the bottom, they’d certainly die. Sweat flung off the side of his forehead as he turned around, spotting no exits out of the death trap. Could he punch his way out? What good would that do? Bakugo, his teeth grinding together and his eyes narrowed, seemed to be getting even more frustrated at the situation with every passing second. After all, he was the one who’d pushed the button and caused what might turn out to be their deaths. At least in the tunnel, there were a few dim lights alongside the wall, but the pitfall itself went too far down for Deku to see the end of it. And then, as if a new idea had popped into Bakugo’s head, his eyes widened and his jaw relaxed. He glanced at his hands. “What? Do you have an idea?” Deku tried to remain as calm and collected as he could, but his face couldn’t help but tighten and his arms couldn’t help but curl into fists. “If I launch my big attack, the one that my gauntlet produces-“ Bakugo gestured with his arms, opening up his fingers and putting his palms face-down. “I think it’ll help slow the fall.” He turned to get a glimpse of Deku’s expression, hoping to see that he agreed and that they should try it. Instead, Bakugo found his expression to blank and confused, like that of a small child’s. “Kacchan...I don’t think that’s going to help at all,” Deku said, insisting in his voice that they try something else. Bakugo’s face wrinkled a bit at the disagreement, his eyes trailing back over his gauntlets. He was still contemplating the new idea, that much was obvious. Deku, now becoming very concerned that the end of the fall might be approaching, tried to still himself and keep from flailing around too much. What was the answer? Should he try using One for All and blast himself back through the surface? That seemed like a good idea, except for the fact that if they returned, they’d still be stuck at a dead end. Maybe this was the way to go. “Well we can’t just keep falling like this. Do you have any other ideas?” Bakugo’s words cut straight through Deku, deeper than the knife wounds. I don’t have any other ideas, but Kacchan’s idea is absolutely ridiculous. It doesn’t have any logic behind it, He thought, but he remained silent, unsure of what to say. Bakugo smirked at this, readying his hands. Deku started at him in disbelief, wondering how this seemed like such a good idea in his head.

“Here goes!” He hollered, stiffening his feet out in front of him, a burning look on his face. “GO TO HELL!” Deku heard the small CLINK! of the gauntlet and then there was chaos. The explosion propelled the two upwards, Deku spinning around uncontrollably with his limbs everywhere and Bakugo, who was still clutching his arm with a wide smile plastered on his face. The explosion, little by little, softened, until they were both falling at normal speed again. Deku wasn’t surprised by this at all. Bakugo, on the other hand, was acting as if his plan was still in motion: and maybe it was. “Deku.” Deku looked up, his hands held out beside him. Bakugo’s gaze was still fixed below them. And suddenly, his face was starting to grow redder and redder, like he was embarrassed. Was it because his plan failed? “Come here.” His words were like a tough piece of meat to swallow. “Why?” “I have an idea.” Deku’s face relaxed. “Are you sure about-“ “Just get your floating ass over here!” His face was blossoming red now. Sweat trickled down his arm, his hand still hot from the explosion. “O-ok.” Deku scrambled himself across in the empty space, hardly bothered by all the falling anymore. The end wasn’t coming any time soon-that much was clear. “Grab onto me.” The words startled Deku, and his heart skipped a beat. “Wh-What?” “I said grab onto me, you damn nerd!” By now, both of their faces were a shade of bright red. Bakugo looked disgusted, absolutely terrified at what he was saying, yet he repeated himself, and Deku didn’t understand why. “I have an idea, but you can’t do it with your useless quirk-at least, I don’t think you can.” There it was again: Bakugo’s voice was only above a whisper, and not once did he look in Deku’s direction. Deku understood now, that this was all part of the plan inside his head to keep them both alive. The thought calmed him and reassured him, knowing that Bakugo was looking out for the both of them. Deku proceeded to latch himself onto Bakugo’s arm, hoping that he’d be able to withstand Deku’s touch long enough to save them. “When we see the bottom, I’ll start creating small blasts to slow us down until we can gently land, ok? So until then, don’t try to screw anything up.” Deku nodded at this. How long had they been falling for? Maybe around a minute? A little less than that? The end would have to come eventually, no doubt about it.

Bakugo held both of his hands out to his sides, Deku now holding onto his shoulder. Both boys were completely focused, honing their concentration in the empty tunnel below them. As soon as they saw the bottom, WHAM! Bakugo’s fired up palms released the blasts that would then save both of their lives. Hovering only a few feet above the ground below, Bakugo cut off the building pressure and the explosions went silent. They landed on the ground in a tumble, but quickly got back up on their feet, surveying the dark space. There were lights in the pitfall, but not down here. And that’s when Deku realized that they must be far below the earth now, and that getting back up to the surface was not going to be easy. But they could think about that later: right now, the two were alert, keeping their guard up. Deku tightened his fists, his stance firm. Bakugo’s arms were by his sides, and not once did his intense gaze falter. There definitely something or someone in the darkness with them: friend or foe, they were not alone. A light turned on somewhere deeper in the room, and they followed it carefully. Then another lit up, and another. It was like a trail of lights, possibly leading them somewhere. Todoroki? The Firestarters’ boss? Another bandit? The last light had been lit far from the opening of the tunnel. Suddenly, all the lights behind them flickered off. Deku looked back, trying to make sense of what was going on. Bakugo’s eyes, however, were pinned forward, narrowed down to slits. His palms were becoming sweaty from the tension in the air, which would help in case they needed to produce another big attack. Deku, too, followed this motion, facing forward and remaining quiet. Just a few seconds ago, the space was completely filled with darkness. But now, without any warning, a big light that had been hanging from the ceiling above them turned on, causing Bakugo and Deku to flinch. In front of them, now visible to see, there was a black armchair covered in blood stains. Sitting in the armchair was a slender man dressed in black, but his face was not masked away. He smiled, crossing his legs, a cigarette wiggling around in his mouth. Before Deku could say anything, Bakugo spoke up: “So I take it you’re the leader of this place?” The man straightened up, his eyes gleaming like the moon. The intimidation had no affect: Bakugo was as confident as ever. After pulling the cigarette from his lips and blowing out a cloud of smoke, he opened his mouth to speak: “Smart boy. Of course I am.” The man’s voice seemed gentle, as he tossed the butt to the side and stood up. There was an odor in the air: Deku could smell it. A few days old blood, like a dead body’s that was starting to rot. The stench overwhelmed him all too quickly as he stumbled backwards, covering his face. “Ah, I see you’ve noticed that delicious scent in the air.” Delicious? The smell was absolutely unbearable. Bakugo’s face hardened: he could smell it too. Somewhere in this room, there was a dead body. The thought of it being Todoroki enraged Deku, a sudden fire being lit inside of him. His muscles stiffened and his teeth clenched together. It couldn’t be. There’s no way. “WHERE’S TODOROKI!?” Deku wailed, tired of the stench, tired of waiting, tired of everything. His knees locked as he prepared himself for the worst. Instead, the man tilted his head back, and started to laugh. The tension was worsening. Bakugo was getting annoyed. Deku couldn’t take it anymore. “Oh, don’t worry, Midoriya.” He was startled at the use of his name. “That boy, Shoto Todoroki? Let me assure you, he is alive and well.” Deku’s stance was still firm, his gaze still locked on, as if the words went right over his head. “Don’t believe me? Here, I’ll prove it.” The man’s fingers snapped, and Deku’s mind went blank.

Another person-also draped in a black cloak, their face hidden-came from behind, dragging an arm of what seemed to be a lifeless body. Deku knew immediately in his mind: it was Todoroki. He’d been beaten all over with several knife cuts and his clothes were bloodied and ripped. Deku gasped, unsure of how to react or of what to do. His heart was racing, and he could feel Bakugo’s expression of rage behind him. Was Todoroki...was he dead? No, Deku refused to believe it. Even still, he was frozen and unable to move a muscle. Bakugo’s fists clenched together even tighter. Todoroki was pulled over to the man sitting in the armchair, a smug look on his face as he grabbed him by the hair with a firm grasp. “See? He’s breathing.” Deku was absolutely horrified. Todoroki, of course, was unconscious, but it was hard to tell if his chest was moving or not from where he stood. Deku found himself completely stunned. No. How could I let this happen? He thought, taking an unsteady step forwards, his body still in shock. “Let him go. Right now!” He couldn’t stand to see Todoroki like this. Deku’s mind was already made up, whether Bakugo went along with it or not. He was going to get his friend back right then and there. His heart was beating at an uncontrollable rate, and if not for his determination and strong will he might’ve passed out. Deku’s gaze fixated on the man, holding his arms out and readying himself to attack. Bakugo must’ve caught on to his intentions, and so he himself held out his gauntlets and narrowed his eyes. The man in the armchair simply licked his lips and dropped Todoroki’s head, taunting the two boys to charge in. Was it a trap? The thought never occurred to Deku, because he was far to focused on defeating the leader and escaping with his friend. Even without him realizing, he had been blinded by his anger, unable to think of anything else. Deku sprung forward, yelling, pulling his fist back. His plan was to use his arms as a distraction, while he switched his power to his legs instead. Bakugo was running by his side, swinging his palms in front and preparing to fire. But even as they approached, the slender man didn’t even blink. He was completely still, and Deku nor Bakugo could sense any fear from him. Why wasn’t he scared? Did he have a plan? Whether he did or he didn’t, there was no turning back now. Deku was so close now that he couldn’t just give up. Even if he wanted to stop, his body kept pushing forward, ignoring the pain from his wounds and forgetting everything else. Nothing mattered more than Todoroki at the moment. Bakugo’s jaws were tight, his arms extended and his fingers spread out like an open book. He adjusted his aim so that the explosion would not hit Todoroki. “DIEEEE!”

The blast was about to launch from the center of Bakugo’s right palm, and it was aimed directly at The Firestarters’ leader. The man himself seemed to have whispered a command moments before the attack had begun. Just as he was about to send the man flying, WHAM! Bakugo’s arm was slammed into the ground, his gauntlet shattering and the sound of a snapping bone erupting into the air. Bakugo shrieked in utter pain, unable to get up. Deku stopped in his tracks, fear and confusion filling his head, his eyes widening and his body motionless. Bakugo was struggling, trying to get on his feet, and yet he was stuck there. Like a pancake. And then it hit him: was this the gravity quirk from before, back in the alleyway? The man stared at Bakugo for a while before laughing a big, heavy laugh. This angered Deku even more. “Aww, poor Katsuki. Were you that driven by your rage?” Bakugo looked up, his stomach flat on the floor, his voice sounding as if he were being choked. “BASTARD!” He called, coughing up blood seconds later. Deku knew in that moment that he could never forgive this man. He couldn’t even understand him: was he doing this for fun? Because he thought it was a joke? Deku’s face hardened. “Why are you doing this? What do you want?” “I told you what I want. This boy here-“ he gestured to Todoroki, who still lay limp on his side. “I want him. After his father found our headquarters, I soon found out that one of his sons had two quirks.” “And?” “And I want it. I’ve never heard of someone with more than one quirk before. You might not know this, but rare things can go for a lot of money on the black market.” Deku stiffened. “You...you wanted to sell him?” “Bingo!” Deku looked at his feet, the idea drifting around in his head. “By the way! I completely forgot to congratulate you for coming this far without dying. Unfortunately, I’ve wasted too much time already.” Deku looked back up, unable to shake off the uneasy feeling in his stomach that he was able to put away for so long. Todoroki was going to be sold if they hadn’t come here when they did? What if his gravity quirk was too strong for Deku to defeat on his own? The man narrowed his eyes. “I’ll make a deal with you. See my gravity quirk? I’ve used it on you before. It can easily crush someone and kill them, or I can just use it to restrain someone, as long as I say their name. I can only use it once every twenty-four hours, so sadly, I can’t kill you now.” He chuckled. “But if I could, I would.” The man sighed, turning his head away from Deku’s unblinking glare. “Over here!” The cloaked person from before came in from the darkness, positioning himself right beside Todoroki. 

“This is one of my subordinates. His quirk allows him to erase the memories of whoever he touches.” Then Deku remembered: Endeavor hadn’t remembered anything from his mission because his memories were erased. He straightened up. “What’s the deal?” The slender man smirked at Deku’s words. “Leave now. I’ll even let you take your spiky-haired friend over there with you.” “And what if I don’t?” “I’ll ask my buddy here to erase every last one of Shoto Todoroki’s memories.” Deku gasped, the world around him collapsing once more. “He’ll be clueless. He won’t know who you are and he’d also forget everything that’s happened to him. Plus, there’s no way to reverse it, so I’d think carefully before deciding if I were you.” The man’s foot was now resting atop Todoroki’s shoulder, his face showing no signs of a bluff. What should Deku do? Even if he did leave with Bakugo, there would be no way for him to be sure that The Firestarters would keep their promise. “Hey, idiot,” Bakugo grunted, eyeing Deku and craning his neck to look at him. “Kacchan?” His voice was still rough as always. “Don’t do it. Fight that bastard and take icy hot back.” Deku looked down again, solemn and quiet. “I can’t. Todoroki’s memories are too important to me. I-“ Deku was on the verge of tears. He couldn’t save him. After all they’d been through, after all the pain they’d endured-just to be stopped short. “What do you mean?!” Bakugo sounded furious now. He was still pinned down, unable to move, and yet his words still pierced through Deku’s skin. “Saving Todoroki is top priority, but-” Deku took a deep breath. “I don’t know what else to do. I can’t just let go.” And then it happened: Todoroki’s slow awakening, his eyes barely opening, his body trembling. “Mi...doriya?” Something sparked inside of Deku as he turned around, his eyes wide open. Todoroki was too weak to fight or use his quirk. “Don’t...don’t...” his voice was raspy, and it was very apparent that he was in a lot of pain. The man stared down at him without any sense of mercy or sympathy. There was no emotion on his face. “Don’t...don’t...” “Todoroki?” Deku’s tone was soft and gentle. “Don’t leave me.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took me a few days extra and it isn’t even that long: one of the many struggles of writing. Anyways, have a Happy Fourth Of July! (American Independence Day).

There was no way Deku was leaving now. Todoroki’s plea was enough for him to stand his ground. But what should he do? Any wrong move would result in disaster. His mind was racing frantically as Deku tried to come up with a plan. He couldn’t charge in, and there weren’t any opportunities to cause a distraction. Just as a Deku was starting to feel hopeless, the slightest whiff of gasoline and smoke started to slowly fill the air. The bad guys seemed to notice it too: Bakugo was still down, his arm crushed and bleeding. His other arm was also limp, so it couldn’t have been him. And just like that, everyone in the room started to panic. If it wasn’t Bakugo or Deku or The Firestarters, then where was this smell coming from? A third organization? Highly unlikely, considering how hidden they were underground. But it wasn’t impossible. Or maybe Todoroki had started his fire? No, he had passed out again. Still, the scent only seemed to be growing stronger, and with the smoke, something was obviously burning. The slender man whispered something into the other guy’s ear, and he shook his head in return, shrugging with a confused expression on his face. Deku looked around, trying to pinpoint where the smoke was coming from. But in such a short amount of time, it had completely filled the room. Deku covered his mouth with his hand, coughing. What is this? He thought. Suddenly, something in the man’s face changed: his eyes widened, his lower lip trembled and his body stiffened. “It can’t be.” He stumbled backwards, turning his fixed gaze towards the cloaked guy, his face heating up in a sudden anger. “The oil cans, you asshole! The oil-“ a rush of heat took over the room, and Deku knew as he stood there: the place was going to blow up. His breathing started to rush and his heartbeat skipped around like crazy. Was this really happening? The slender man grabbed Todoroki by the collar of his shirt, pulling him away, coughing into his sleeve and squinting his eyes. “Stop!” Deku called, but it was too late. The room erupted into a chaos of fire and smoke, more commonly known as an explosion. The impact spread to everything in its vicinity, crushing through walls and smoke sizzling through to the surface of the earth. The explosion was truly massive. 

Deku’s first thought was pain: His body was wrapped in a burning sensation and the pain was agonizing. His skin was throbbing under the intense heat. It was not until a few moments later when Deku remembered the situation he was in: An explosion had occurred from somewhere and now there was fire everywhere. Deku was lying on his stomach, his arms and legs sprawled out on the ground. His head was in a daze, and therefore the rest of him refused to move. His train of thought was slow and shallow: It...hurts. I can’t move. I...can’t move. After inhaling a bunch of smoke, Deku’s lungs forced him to awake in a spluttering cough, one that felt heavy in his chest. His senses were now wide awake as he tried to wrap his head around the severeness of the situation. Deku’s gaze trailed across the flames, but the room was too smokey and dark for him to see anything; including the whereabouts of his friends and the enemy. This was bad. For all he knew, Todoroki was already taken by The Firestarters and Bakugo and himself were left here to die. No, that can’t be. Deku wouldn’t believe it. He slowly propped himself up on his knees, his hands scorched and bleeding. He’d preferred the frigid lake over this hellhole, mainly because his body had become numb and he wasn’t able to feel pain. Here, in the heat, there would be suffering. Deku coughed again, only this time blood dripped from his mouth. His mind was starting to spin again. He couldn’t pass out now. Despite his mental will, Deku’s vision was starting to blur and the heat was too intense. His shoulders started to droop and he was starting to drift off. “DEKU!” The voice was loud, distant, and hoarse. Deku immediately perked up, his eyes wide. He listened intently, waiting for it to sound again. “DAMN IT DEKU, ANSWER ME!” It was coming from Deku’s left side. He couldn’t quite recognize it, but he had a pretty good idea who it was. He stood up, moving forward and following the sound until he found his target. Those bright red eyes. That ash blonde hair. “Kacchan?” Deku was stunned at his own voice, as it sounded nothing like himself. There in front of him sat Bakugo, who was currently holding his arm to his mouth. Deku approached him, kneeling down in front of him with a worried look on his face. Bakugo’s face beamed at the sight. “Stupid nerd. Why weren’t you answering?” Deku remained there, motionless and silent, and then did the unthinkable: He leaned in and wrapped his arms around Bakugo. 

Bakugo was speechless. The warmth radiating from Deku’s seemingly weak body was comforting to him. Deku held him close: “Kacchan. I thought...I thought you were dead.” Bakugo’s eyes were wide and they glinted with some sort of compassion. Deep down, Bakugo did care for Deku, even if it didn’t seem like it. He mustered up enough effort to gently touch Deku’s back, whereas in most situations a hug would cause him to break away or even attack. So why was now different? Bakugo was trying to come up with an answer. Was it because they weren’t fighting each other and that they were on the same side? Or maybe because this was a near-death experience and both of them were panicking? Or could it possibly just be that Bakugo cared for him? He seemed to think it was all three, but now wasn’t the time to decide. There would be more than enough time for that later. “Oi.” Deku released his grasp and stepped back, preparing himself to be slapped or even punched in the face. “Do you see icy hot anywhere?” Deku glared at Bakugo, astonished. He...wasn’t angry? “What?” “Icy hot. Did you see him?” Deku shook his head. “This smoke is getting really bad. Let’s find that half-n-half bastard and get out of here.” Deku nodded, his face hardening. The two then got up, and acting as if the hug had never occurred, they set off through the room in search of Todoroki. The smoke was getting unbearable, and breathing was becoming more of a struggle. Several times, Deku broke into a coughing fit, coughing up blood as his chest heaved. They didn’t realize it, but Deku was in a much more dire situation than his spiky-haired friend: Bakugo had a few bloody injuries and burns and his hero outfit was torn up and ripped all over. The same was mostly true for Deku, except his internal health was way worse. “I think I see something up ahead. It looks like a body.” Deku pointed up in front of them, where a dark figure was lying on the ground. After traversing through the fiery terrain, they arrived at the sight of the body. It looked limp and dead, and there was no motion of the chest that indicated breathing. Thankfully, the figure didn’t appear to be Todoroki. Deku approached it carefully, inspecting the body. It was the cloaked assistant from before, only now, half of his face was burned and he was bleeding from his forehead. Deku rested his ear against his chest. There was no heartbeat. “He’s dead.” Deku got up, turning to Bakugo. “Icy hot must be around here then. Unless the boss escaped with him.” The thought caused Deku to shudder, but he straightened out in a moment’s notice. “Let’s keep looking.”

Deku recognized that half-red-half-white hair from a distance. They’d found Todoroki. Deku’s heart immediately lifted with hope, and even with the smoke stinging his eyes he didn’t blink for a second. He didn’t want to lose sight of his friend. “Slow down, damn it! And don’t walk in front of me!” Deku hadn’t heard any of it. His only goal in mind was resting on the ground in front of him, probably passed out. That’s when Deku stopped, shivers running down his spine. But, what if Todoroki was dead? Had he even considered it? “What’s wrong, nerd?” Deku shook his head, his neck tense. “Nothing.” He pressed through the worsening conditions until he arrived at Todoroki’s side. Before anything, he grabbed Todoroki by his shirt and pulled his chest to his ear, waiting patiently. There it was, quiet and simple and small: the tiniest heartbeat. Deku immediately relaxed, his aching joints being released from the pressure. “Thank god!” Bakugo leaned down next to him, his face almost blank. “If we can wake him up, he can freeze these flames, and then we can look for a way out.” Bakugo’s plan made sense. Deku started to softly shake Todoroki, saying his name over and over again. Todoroki’s eyes gradually opened, his mind dizzy and his face feeling as if it were ablaze. “Midoriya? Is that you?” Before Deku could reply, Todoroki started coughing uncontrollably, the smoke making his throat feel raw. “Todoroki! I’m so glad we found you!” After a few moments, Bakugo proceeded to explain his plan to Todoroki, him nodding along and looking at his right arm. “Do you think you can do it? I mean, you look awful and those injuries look really severe.” Deku sounded concerned and worried. Todoroki shook his head. “I can do it.” He lifted up his hand, opening up his fingers and exposing his palm. In mere seconds, ice sprouted from the floor and spread throughout the dark space, silencing the flames and clearing the smoke. The room became chilly soon after. “That was perfect!” Todoroki smiled a small, quiet smile, Deku’s voice putting his nerves at ease. “Now, we should look for a way out,” he said.

Todoroki was leaning against Deku for support as the three searched for an exit, preferably the tunnel that they had entered through. The room was still filled with darkness, so they had to maneuver with caution. The ice that had stopped the fire was sharp and could easily impale one of them if they weren’t careful. Bakugo, who’s condition although quite severe, was better than Todoroki’s and Deku’s. He lead them through the room, his eyes wide and his ears alert. Then, in the corner of his vision, he spotted a dim light. “Over there.” The tunnel was scorched and most of the lights were broken. Deku paused, looking over at Todoroki. He was practically asleep, his head resting on Deku’s shoulder. He didn’t want to disturb him: he’d been through enough already. But if he could use his ice to boost them up the tunnel, they’d all get to the surface much faster. “Todoroki.” Deku’s voice was soft and quiet. Todoroki opened his eyes, his breathing slow and deep. “Can you use your ice again?” Todoroki grunted as he looked up, his muscles sore. “Yeah.” Ice spread out from underneath, shaping into an ice block and stretching up through the tunnel. Bakugo was turned away with his arms crossed while Deku held Todoroki against his side. All three of them were bruised and hurting, but not as much as Todoroki. He’d been through absolute hell, and Deku couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. As they approached the opening to the other end of the tunnel, light seemed to spill in from what used to be a completely dark and still room. Was someone there? Was it the fire from the explosion? It turned out to be neither: the powerful blast had reached through to the surface of the earth. “How is it even possible for an explosion to be that big if Kacchan didn’t make it?” “Idiot! There were probably a ton of oil cans somewhere, like the bastard said.” Deku nodded at this, looking up at the sky through the big hole. Sunlight seeped inside and lit up the entire room. “Let’s get out of here and go get the pro heroes.” Bakugo, surprisingly, nodded at this, then turned to look at Todoroki. He was on the brink of passing out again, his face calm and relaxed. “Icy hot. Do what you just did one more time.” Bakugo didn’t sound too demanding: his voice was firm but he wasn’t angry. 

The ice rose up again, carrying the three boys to the earth’s surface, all of them landing on the soft grass. The fresh air. The wind. The bright blue sky. Deku felt like he was saved, and that they could finally rest after such a long adventure. He sat down, Todoroki fast asleep beside him, Bakugo on his other side staring off into the distance. Deku smiled. This was perfect: aside from all the wounds and agony, the uneasy feeling inside him had completely vanished. They were out in the middle of nowhere, possibly in the middle of a field. Which way was the way back home? Where was the boss? Where were the pro heroes? Deku put away all these thoughts and decided to save them for later. All of them were physically and maybe even emotionally exhausted. They’d figure it out later. For now, Deku wanted to stay in this moment forever. The hunger, the burns, the knife wounds-everything was blurred out for the time being. The sun’s gentle heat, the wind blowing through his hair, and Todoroki’s warm touch was all he could feel. Even Bakugo was enjoying himself, settling down into the grass and resting the back of his head on his hands. Why couldn’t this last forever? But apparently, it couldn’t even last a mere ten minutes. A shadow started to approach the three boys from a few meters away-they hadn’t even noticed someone was there. Deku sat up, the uneasy feeling filling his stomach all over again. “Kacchan.” Bakugo looked up, his eyes widening. As the figure came closer, they remembered that face all too well. “Think you can just get away like that?” It was The Firestarters’ leader. His voice was totally screwed up, his throat sounding raspy. His face was completely burned, his hands swollen and bleeding. In his right palm, he carried a small handgun. “You won’t make a fool of me that easily.” Deku placed Todoroki on the ground, then stood up. “Stay back. The pro heroes will be here any minute.” Deku tried to assure himself in order to sound believable, but it was only a bluff. Where would they even look? The boss seemed to have seen through it, as he started laughing uncontrollably. “You think I believe that? I’m not stupid, kid. If you haven’t realized, we’re in the middle of nowhere.” He grinned. Bakugo’s and Deku’s face hardened, readying to defend and counterattack. The man couldn’t use his quirk, but he could still use that handgun. Bakugo’s quirk was better for long-range attacks, so it would be better for Deku to hang back and avoid getting shot. But even so, one of Bakugo’s arms was completely crushed. Could he fight with only one arm? The man lifted the barrel of the gun, pointing it at Deku. In one swift motion, he pulled the trigger.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was my birthday yesterday! (July 9). I think this chapter is a little longer than the others because it’s the last one. I hope you guys like it!

Deku dodged to the right without hesitation, steering clear of the bullet’s trajectory path. Of course, no one should be able to dodge a bullet unless they had time to prepare for it: it should have at least nicked him on the arm or leg. So, why hadn’t it? Had Deku been too fast? Could he really outrun a bullet? No, that wasn’t the case, and it was only until he heard the stifled holler that Deku finally realized what had happened: at the last moment, the man had turned his gun on Bakugo, firing at him instead. Deku’s mind went completely blank, his body frozen and unable to move. His eyes slowly trailed the ground until they landed on Bakugo, a small pool of blood growing beside him. He was collapsed on the ground, his eyes closed and his face scrunching up. “BASTARD! I’LL KILL YOU!” Bakugo yelled, his hand placed on stomach, his head rolling back. He couldn’t keep the pain a secret, as it was much too agonizing to hold back. Deku’s eyes went wide at the sight, his hands dropping to his side, his heart sinking with every passing moment. No, this can’t be real. It can’t. I’m seeing things, I’m sure of it it, Deku thought, but this reassurance was only proof of his own denial. “KACCHAN!” Deku started to run towards him, until he tripped and stumbled into the grass before ever reaching his friend. He didn’t have the strength to get back up. Something inside of Deku was hurting: it was consuming all of his energy. A gun cocked behind him, and he could feel the pressure of the barrel being pointed at him. Deku’s body tensed up, his arm stretched out in front of him. “Well, one down, one to go.” There was nothing he could do. The both of them were going to die and Todoroki was going to be taken. Even after all they’d been through, failure was inevitable. Deku closed his eyes, slowing his breathing and relaxing.

The bullet never came. Deku waited a few moments before he looked up, confused and surprised. Had he decided not to do it at the last moment? That couldn’t be it: after all, he had no hesitation when it came to shooting Bakugo. “So, how long are you going to stay there?” It was a gruff, old voice, one that Deku was familiar with. His eyes widened, his head lifting. “Gran Torino? Is that you?” A short figure appeared in front of him. “The one and only.” Deku was immediately filled with relief. “How’d you find us?” Gran Torino smirked at this. “We’re pro heroes. When one of us needs help, we’ll drop everything and head over.” Deku smiled. “Those look like some pretty deep cuts. Your face is covered in smoke, too.” He turned back and looked at Bakugo, who’d passed out from the blood loss. Gran Torino eyed him closely, then turned back and faced Deku. “We already called the ambulances and they’ll be here soon. Endeavor knocked out that slender guy and took him to the police, and you can expect a bunch of questioning from them and Toshinori.” He took a deep breath, releasing a big sigh. “But we can worry about that later. You really scared the heck out of us, you know?” “Yeah, sorry about that. But-“ Deku paused. “But at least we got Todoroki back, right?” Gran Torino looked up, the sirens of ambulances in the distance sounding and a gentle breeze blowing by. “Yeah, you have a point.” Once the ambulances arrived, Bakugo was taken in first, followed by Todoroki and then Deku. Gran Torino said that he and All Might and Endeavor would meet them at the hospital and tell them more after their conditions had become stable. But now, Deku could actually relax, knowing that he and his friends would be okay. The danger was gone and would be locked away for a very long time. Deku finally felt safe. 

As soon as he arrived at the hospital, he had to undergo several stitches to close up his wounds and was given lots of medicine for the effects of the smoke inside his body and for the pain. His scorched hands were also treated, and afterwards he was told that he needed to stay there for a while so that they could monitor him. The bed was comfy and the sheets were nice and cool. Deku still hadn’t heard anything about Bakugo or Todoroki yet, or about The Firestarters’ leader and the other members. Everything would be explained to him sooner or later, and right now, Deku was focused on getting better. And then, a knock came at the door: it was All Might and Gran Torino. Deku smiled, nodding weakly and lifting his hand to wave them inside. They came in and sat down next to him. “Young Midioriya, how are you feeling? When I found out you were missing, I got really worried.” There was a softness to his voice, but also concern. “I’m doing a little better now. Do you know anything about Kacchan or Todoroki?” All Might shook his head. “Mr. Aizawa and Endeavor went to check up on those two.” “Mr. Aizawa’s here?” “Of course! He was backup, remember? When you two went missing, he tried to track you down. He found and captured a member of the group, and after a bit of interrogation he told Mr. Aizawa where you were being kept.” Deku nodded at this, the information sinking into his brain. Gran Torino spoke up next: “As for the leader, he was taken into custody after the hospital treated his burns. The organization broke up and it’s only a matter of time before we find the ones who ran away.” This delighted Deku, knowing that Todoroki wouldn’t be targeted again. “That’s good to hear.” “Oh and one more thing-you’re mother said she would be coming to visit you later this afternoon. Apparently, she was absolutely terrified.” Deku frowned, looking away. He already knew this, and he hated it. He didn’t want her to worry, didn’t want her to be scared. “Be more careful next time, okay?” All Might leaned in and gave him a small hug, one that was gentle and kind. “We’ll come back to see you again soon.” And with that, the two left Deku all to himself again. 

His mother came by later on just as All Might had said she would. “Oh, Izuku! My baby! I’m so glad you’re okay!” Deku smiled, grateful that she wasn’t in tears or shaking from the terror. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry.” His mother smiled, lifting her hand and stroking her son’s forehead. The touch was soothing and warm. “I’m just happy that you’re going to be alright. And I heard that the police and some of the pro heroes will be coming over tomorrow so that you can tell them everything that happened. I’d like to be there too, Izuku. I want to know what happened to you during all of this time.” Deku understood, nodding his head and looking up at her face. She smelled of honey and peppermints. Deku drank in the fragrance-for the last few days, all he had smelled were blood and smoke and gunpowder. “Of course you can come. After all, it’s most important for you to be informed.” His mother’s face softened a bit more. She stayed at his side for a while until she left, saying that’d she come again the next day. Deku was happy that all three had visited him, but at the end of the day, he wanted to know about Todoroki and Bakugo. He wanted to make sure that they would be okay, and Deku couldn’t stop thinking about them. What if All Might and Gran Torino did know something, but they had decided to keep it secret because something terrible had happened? At night, he tossed and turned in his bed, unable to sleep or rest easy. Sure the source of the danger was gone, and Deku was very thankful, but it wasn’t over yet. Not until he could see with his own eyes that Todoroki and Bakugo were all well and fine. 

The following days were easy going and quiet. He was only visited once by All Might, Gran Torino, his mother, and the police. Deku told them everything that had happened: starting from when he and Bakugo entered the abandoned alleyway and finishing with Gran Torino finding the three. The story was quite interesting, all of them listening intently the entire time and the police writing down notes on clipboards. Before they left, Deku had asked them if they knew anything about Todoroki or Bakugo. “I checked in with Mr. Aizawa, and he said that Bakugo had to undergo surgery for the bullet wound. Todoroki went through just about everything you did, aside from taking an MRI due to the possibility of brain damage caused by those beatings. He’s alright though, no serious injuries.” Deku relaxed at Gran Torino’s words, but he was still worried about Bakugo going into surgery. All Might stood, catching the attention of everyone in the room. The police stood up as well, flipping to the front page of their clipboards and clicking their pens. “Well, young Midoriya, I’m afraid it’s time for us to leave again. Next time we see you, you’ll hopefully be out of the hospital.” Deku nodded, waving his hand goodbye. Gran Torino left soon after, reminding him that Mr. Aizawa would drop in later and that he should be prepared for a scolding. Deku chuckled at this, turning his gaze towards his mom. There was a sweet smile on her face, and he could tell that she couldn’t wait for him to heal up and come home. After his mother left, Deku was left alone with his thoughts for another few hours. As he lay there, his mind started to drift, his eyes closing and his breathing slowing. Deku was exhausted from explaining the entire story and having to answer all sorts of questions. At around dinner time, a nurse came in with a tray of onigiri and some tea. It was when Deku was stuffing his face with the food that Mr. Aizawa had knocked on the door, entering the room and sitting beside him. He swallowed and wiped his mouth. “Mr. Aizawa, hey.” Mr. Aizawa’s face remained cold and hard. “Midoriya...WHAT THE HECK WERE YOU THINKING?!” He stood, cuffing Deku gently on the head. “Sorry. I just really wanted to save Todoroki.” Mr. Aizawa’s face relaxed as he sat back down, sighing. “Trouble always follows you around, I guess.” He rubbed the top of his head, massaging his temples, then looking back down at Deku. “I heard that Todoroki will be discharged tomorrow morning, but his body will still need time to make a full recovery.” Deku nodded at this. He himself was to be released from the hospital tomorrow afternoon, once the doctor checked up on him again. “Anyways, All Might told me the whole story. You really went on an adventure, didn’t you?” “Yeah. A painful one.” “I see. Well, I just wanted to see you to make sure you were okay. I’ll leave you to your dinner now.” Mr. Aizawa got up as Deku once again waved goodbye, and when he was alone again he finished his dinner and went to sleep.

When Deku was released the next day, his first thought was Todoroki. He’d already been discharged, right? So where was he? Back at his house? If so, why hadn’t he come to visit Deku? All would be revealed once he hitched a ride with his mother and the two drove over to his house. This time, Deku didn’t want to see two seemingly lifeless bodies in a pool of blood. He wanted to see Todoroki, alive and well where danger wouldn’t strike. “I’ll be back, okay?” Deku said, before closing the car door and marching up to the house. He hesitantly knocked at the front door, impatient and unable to stand still. His heart didn’t calm until the door opened. It was Todoroki. Deku’s face beamed with sudden delight, and Todoroki smiled gently. “Todoroki! How are you?” He had a million questions to ask, but he decided to start with a simple one. Todoroki rubbed the back of his head, blushing a little. “I’m good. Thanks for-“ before he could finish, Deku leaped in and gave him a big, warm hug. Todoroki was unsure of how to react: when was the last time he’d been hugged? Probably several years ago? But the warmth and happiness radiating from his body was comforting. “It’s what friends are for, Todoroki.” Deku stepped back, unwrapping his arms. “Sorry I couldn’t come visit you, Midioriya. I heard about my siblings from my father and I wanted to make sure they were okay.” Deku nodded, having completely forgotten about them. “Mr. Aizawa also came. He told me everything-how you and Bakugo risked your lives to save me. I’m really, really glad.” Deku smiled at this. “So your siblings-“ “Don’t worry. They’re okay. I heard that Bakugo had to go through a surgery because of a bullet. Is he okay?” Deku looked down, frowning. “I don’t know. The nurse won’t let me inside the room because he needs time away from visitors. But I’m sure that as soon as he can-“ Deku was interrupted by the sounds of two approaching voices, one female and one male. Deku immediately turned around, his face growing in shock. “DEKU!” “MIDORIYA!”

“Uraraka! Iida! What you doing here?” Deku’s eyes were wide and his heart was filled with joy. Uraraka came up to him first, her cheeks rosy and her hands pumped into fists in front of her. “Deku! We came as soon as we could-is it all true? Did you and Bakugo almost die?” Her face was heating up. Iida came in next, a frantic look on his face. “Midioriya! You should have brought back up with you, fool! Are you okay?” Deku chuckled slightly, taking a step backward. “Yeah, we went in to go save Todoroki. But we’re all okay know! Bakugo’s still at the hospital, but he’ll be out soon.” A wave of relief washed over Uraraka and Iida, their gaze moving to Todoroki. “Todoroki! All Might told us everything. This is absolutely crazy! What happened to you?” Todoroki took a deep breath, and then explained what had happened. He had been alone at home when some sort of pressure pushed him to the ground, knocking the air out of his lungs: the gravity quirk. He fell unconscious soon after, and when he woke up he was in a dark room with only one dim light. He was tied to a chair and his hands were locked away in small metal chambers, so he couldn’t use his quirk. A man came up to him and had explained their motives-to sell him on the black market. Todoroki had been well aware that he needed to escape as fast as possible. After hours of tugging on the rope that held him to the chair, it broke and he was freed. Unfortunately, he was caught and beat with knives and fists, getting taken away and being unable to do anything. And that was all that Todoroki had remembered before Deku and Bakugo had shown up. “Wow. That must’ve been rough.” Uraraka looked at her feet, frowning. “I’m really sorry I couldn’t help. I wish I would’ve been there.” Deku suddenly grabbed Uraraka’s hand, his palms smooth and dry. Her head whipped up, her face blushing uncontrollably. “Don’t be. You were out with your family, and you couldn’t have done anything. Don’t feel bad.” Uraraka turned away, her entire body turning into a bright shade of red. “Thanks, Deku,” she whispered. 

Deku went to go see Bakugo the next day, and Todoroki tagged along with him. He figured a simple ‘thanks’ would be the least he could do. They arrived at the door of his hospital room, Deku becoming unsteady once again. He was worried about what he might see. The other adults hadn’t said anything else on Bakugo’s condition, meaning there was a possibility that...no. Deku took a deep breath, holding up a fist to knock on the door. But he hesitated-did Bakugo even want to see him? Would he just get angry? “Midioriya.” Deku turned to look at Todoroki, his face soft. “It’s okay.” And with that, Deku opened the door, a sudden blast of cool air running through his hair. In the bed beside a window lay a shirtless boy with bandage wraps over his body. Those bright red eyes. That ash blonde hair. Deku smiled. “Kacchan!” He sped over to the bedside, leaning in to take a look at his wounds. The scorch marks and wounds were covered in gauze, and his abdomen had a tight but long stretch of bandage over it. Bakugo looked up, surprised by the voice. He didn’t look angry-he just looked tired. His eyes were droopy, but they immediately shot wide open when he saw Deku standing there. “D-Deku? What in the hell are you doing here?” Bakugo’s throat sounded raspy, and his hair wasn’t spiky. It was down to his neck where he looked drenched in sweat. “Kacchan! I’m so happy that the surgery went well. It did go well, right?” Deku was now propped up on his knees, his arms resting on the edge of the bed but careful not to touch him. Bakugo tried grinning a little, adjusting himself to face Deku completely. “Yeah, it did. Damn it, nerd...what about you?” “I’m okay, actually.” And that’s when Bakugo spotted Todoroki standing behind him, his hands in his pockets. “Icy hot,” He grunted, lifting his head and glaring at him. “You caused me a lot of trouble, you bastard. Become stronger and learn to fight for yourself-“ “Thank you.” Bakugo went silent, his expression confused, like he was trying to understand something. “Bakugo. Thank you. You saved me.” Todoroki’s words were truthful: there was no lie behind them. Deku sat there, wondering what Bakugo would do next: would he say something like ‘you’re welcome’? No, that wasn’t his style. Just because someone thanked him didn’t mean that he would immediately take a liking to them. In fact, Bakugo’s only friend was probably Kirishima, if he even considered him as a friend and not just a tolerable person. Instead, Bakugo turned around, hiding his face. “Whatever.” Deku smiled at this, grateful that he didn’t start blaming Todoroki again. Deep down inside, Todoroki probably did blame himself a little, but that didn’t matter now. The three were safe and sound and if they were to be attacked again, they’d simply just save each other, over and over again for as many times as they needed to. 

That’s what friends are for, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to thank everyone for all the kudos, comments, and hits! This story was very fun to write and if it’s possible, I might write a sequel at the end of the summer. Who knows? This might become a series!
> 
> Anyways, I’ll see you all next time. As a first writing piece, I think I did alright!


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